


Just You, Me, and Frankie Valli

by EclecticInk



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drinking, Drunken Shenanigans, Fluff, Frankie Valli - Freeform, Karaoke, Lab Bromance, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 18:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14384628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticInk/pseuds/EclecticInk
Summary: Newt has always teased Hermann for his taste in old school 'Grandpa' music, but after a lot of beer and late nights in the lab, he's developing an appreciation for the classics.





	Just You, Me, and Frankie Valli

**Author's Note:**

> This is set early in the timeline of PR1 before Raleigh comes back to pilot Gypsy Danger a second time.
> 
> Also my first Newmann fic!! ((There will be many more, mwahaha )) Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Based on the song Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You by Frankie Valli.
> 
> Many many thanks to my beta and fellow Newmann addict Neonbat

Over the years, there had been more than enough times that Hermann and Newt had heard the term ' opposites attract' or 'odd couple' used to describe their relationship. Even those that knew them strictly as colleagues snickered lightly that their constant quips and jabs at each other were no more hostile than the quarreling of an old married couple.

Honestly, if they knew how hard they had hit the nail on the head, they would very well be shocked. The weight of the gold ring hanging on the simple chain under his shirt and sweater vest, pressing warm and secure against his skin was the only real secret he and Newton shared. It wasn't that either of them thought their team would judge their union, but rather that their impromptu nuptials had come about when they were both certain they weren't going to survive the war. When they had nothing left to live for except each other; for better, or, most likely worse.

Even so, being privately married did nothing to change their working relationship (minus a few stolen moments in the lab late at night when the others had gone to their bunks). Newton was still as manic and insufferable as ever when Hermann was trying to get work done, and even worse by far when they didn't have work to do and were left to entertain themselves. Rare as it was, there were moments of downtime between Kaiju attacks when the rest of the Shatterdome was preoccupied with military affairs and bolstering the Jaegers defenses. Newton would be out of fresh Kaiju parts to dissect and study, and Hermann would be left without any new problems to solve. The combination of which left both open to a whole new set of playful if not irritating harassment.

" WHAT are you listening to now, Dude?! Is that a man or a woman singing, I can’t even tell!"

Newts voice rang out against the high walls of the lab, disrupting Hermann's cocoon of contentment where he'd situated himself on the worn out old couch that often doubled as a bed on all-nighters ; Hawking's Brief History cradled between his hands and sore legs stretched out in front of him as he listened to old CDs he'd brought with him from home what felt like ages ago.

"The band is called The Four Seasons and the singer you're referring to is Frankie Valli. He was a vocal marvel of his time and they HAPPEN to be a favorite of mine, Newton." Hermann snipped back primly and continued to read, trying to ignore whatever his partner was doing just out of his line of sight.

Newt mildly rolled his eyes, pushing a dolly ahead of him stacked with several speakers he may or may not have 'borrowed' from the PA system around the Shatterdome and a crate filled with beer and snacks from the kitchen balanced precariously on top.

"Oh, I'm soooo sorry to offend, Dr. Gottlieb, but your taste in music is the kinda stuff my Grandpa listened to! Lucky for you I am here and happen to be a scholar in REAL music!"

Newt flashed his lover a bright, boarding on manic grin and set the dolly load down, having to lurch forward and snatch at the crate of beer before it toppled forward off the top of his pile and onto the floor.

Hermann closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long-suffering sigh as he slowly closed his book and plucked his glasses off the brim of his nose, letting them hang by their chain against his chest. If Newt was planning on blasting any of his so-called music, there would be little chance of Hermann being able to read in peace. Lifting a hand to rub at the small divots on the bridge of his nose where the plastic grippers had left their indents in his skin, Hermann looked across the room with a withering gaze, his lips thinning at the sight of all the speakers.

"Are you planning a concert for the whole Shatterdome I am unaware of?"

Newton barked out a laugh as he sat on his chair to fiddle with the wiring, getting the speakers attached to his computer and jerking every so often as the bare wires gave him tiny shocks. Nothing he wasn't used to with all his 'mad scientist' style tinkering.

"Ha! No, although you gotta admit man, the acoustics in here would be pretty perfect for one~"

"I suppose… Why the need for so many speakers then?" Hermann frowned dubiously at the arrangement, already feeling his ears ring at what was to come.

"Like I said, I'm a scholar of REAL music, Herms! And you can't play the true classics on anything less than surround sound! It's sacrilege! You'll love it though, trust me!"

Hermann's pinched expression only tightened, and he shook his head a little.

"Somehow, I have trouble believing you."  
_____________________________________________________

Hours later had proved Hermann to be right, and if it was not for the amount of beer both he and Newton had consumed; Newt to 'loosen his vocal chords so he could properly belt along to Sid Vicious and Iggy Pop' and Hermann to drown out the headache of his partners enthusiastic but off-key karaoke, Hermann may have very well have had to take out the sound system with his cane hours ago.

Luckily, by now both men were drunk enough that singing or complaining wasn't a competition anymore and Hermann was actually enjoying the warm, radiating buzz of the alcohol in his veins as their night wound down. He was curled more comfortably on the couch now, half nodding in and out sleep as Newt hummed along to the end of whatever song happened to be on. Herman couldn’t name any of them anyway and didn't care to.

He was just nodding off again when a familiar tune started up that drew his attention. A lilting of soft horns and the gentle tap of a symbol. Hermann's head instantly lifted from the cushion it had been leaning against and he peered over at Newton, wondering if his lover was just trying to tease him again over his 'grandpa music'. Yet the sight that greeted him was as surreal a vision as seeing a Kaiju for the first time.

As Newt dozily moved around the lab, picking up empty bottles left littered about and setting them into a plastic trash bin, his voice picked up again in song, softly singing out the lyrics Hermann knew by heart.

"You're just too good to be true, can’t take my eyes off of you~" Now tired and not trying as hard, Newton's softer voice harmonized well, and its low timber brought a pleasant heat to Hermann's belly, giving him the sensation of fluttering butterflies.

As he continued, unnoticed that he had the mathematician’s rapt attention, Hermann couldn't help but want to immortalize the moment and pulled his phone from his pocket, turning on the video recorder and smiling slowly as he watched Newton turn and sway along to the music, letting the easy rhythm and tender lyrics move through him like water.

"At long last love has arrived, and I thank God I'm alive… You're just too good to be true…" Newt paused long enough to look over at the couch and notice Hermann watching him with a pleased, quiet smile; the look of love in the older man’s eyes bringing a smile to his own lips, " Can't take my eyes off of you~"

Now emboldened by the attention on him, Newt set the trash bin down and slowly stepped closer to his husband, serenading him with the lyrics that Hermann was surprised that Newt seemed to know by heart as well. As the musical bridge set in, Newt played to his lover’s appreciative gaze and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, unbuttoning his top few buttons as well to show off swaths of brightly inked skin; feet carrying him in a slow swaying dance.

The tempo picked up and Newt yanked at his tie to loosen and pull it off in a dramatic flourish, playfully showing off now as his voice rose to meet Frankie's, belting out his love for the scientist he adored despite all their differences.

"I love you baby! And if it's quite alright, I need you baby, to warm the lonely night. I love you baby, trust in me when I say~"

Newt swirled, and his feet carried him to the couch, his body leaning over Hermann a bit to gaze into his eyes.

"Oh, pretty baby, don’t bring me down I pray. Oh, pretty baby, now that I've found you, stay and let me love you, baby, let me love yyouuuu~"

The rest of the song be damned because Hermann let his phone fall gently to the floor as his hands gripped at his love and dragged him over the back of the couch and against the length of his body, silencing Newton with a long, deep kiss.

__________________________________________________

Newt awoke the next morning with a pounding head and a stale taste of old beer in his mouth, but as he took in his surroundings, and his state of undress, he had to assume it had turned out to be a pretty damn good night! Slowly pushing himself up off the creaking old springs of the couch and stretching out his back, Newt looked around the lab through squinting eyes, trying to get used to the light in the room before reaching for his glasses on the coffee table.

Now able to see past the glare of overhead fluorescents, Newt spotted his partner across the room, standing only in boxers and Newt’s own white button up to stave off the morning chill as he got coffee going for the both of them. It was a GOOD look on the usually uptight numbers man… relaxed, rumpled, and long legs for days~

Pushing himself fully upright onto his feet, Newt shuffled across the cold concrete floor towards the coffee machine and wrapped his arms around Hermann's waist, shifting his hands under the open shirt to get the warmth of Hermann's skin against his fingers despite the way it made the older man squirm a little. Tucking his chin against his lover’s shoulder, Newt kissed Hermann's neck just under his ear and hummed softly.

"Morning sexy~ That coffee smells amazing… How long til it's… wait… what are you watching?!"

It was then that Newton noticed the phone in Hermann's hand and the video of himself on the screen, singing and dancing in a way that was way too embarrassing!

"Delete that!!!" Newts hand grappled for the phone but damn if Hermann's height and long arms didn't lift the phone out of his reach! With Herm's bad leg it would be easy enough to get him off balance and steal the phone if he really wanted to, but that was playing dirty, even by their standards. Newt pouted and reached pitifully, hating the pleased, smug grin on Hermann's face.

"Herms, seriously! You can’t keep that!"

"Yes, I can Newton, and I intend to keep it forever! It's my perfect moment."

Heat crept into Newton's face at that and he dropped his arms, resting his hands on his hips instead and pouting like an unhappy child.

"You gotta PROMISE me that no one else is ever gonna see that dude!"

Hermann smiled softly and set the phone down on the counter long enough to pour his husband a fresh cup of coffee into his favorite Kaiju mug and hand it to him with a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Don’t worry, Newton… It's just between you, me, and Frankie Valli."

~Fin


End file.
